Barge



J. L. TAYLOR April 7, 1931.

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Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES JOHN L. TAYLOR, 0F WEST VIEW BOROUGH, PENNSYLVANIA BARG-E Application filed October 14, 1926. Serial No. 141,526.

This invention relates to barges and more particularly to a deck construction for barges, and has for its object the provision of a novel form of deck having a smooth top surface to facilitate unloading by power unloading devices such as clam-shell buckets.

On barges Which are to be unloaded by mechanical unloading devices it is necessary to have as smooth a deck as possible, so that the lips of the bucket or other unloading device Will not become engaged With the deck and damage the same. Ridges such as formed by the overlapping of the deck plates at seams are objectionable for the above reason and, therefore, it has previously been the practice to strap the deck plates at seams and butts below the deck, that is, on the underside of the plates.

The present invention eliminates the necessity of strapping the joints of the deck plates,-

thereby saving considerable material and labor, and greatly reducing the Weight of the deck and cost of manufacture, While at the same time providing a stronger deck than heretofore provided.

In the drawings- Figure l is a plan of half the length of a barge constructed in accordance With this indue to the substantial b-earing provided by vention.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional elevation through the barge.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal View through half the length of the barge.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail of a deck plate joint.

Referring more particularly tothe dravv-A ings, the numeral 2 designates the hull of the barge as a Whole, which is preferably of all metal construction, and is provided With suitable fr-aming consisting of standard rolled shape beams. Water-tight bulk heads 3 are at each end of the barge, and the deck plates 4 forming the tops of these bulk heads are mounted with overlapped joints since no load is carried thereon.

Barges such as this invention pertains to are adapted to carry their load on the deck and, therefore, the deck must necessarily be of considerable strength.

Longitudinal girders 5 are provided for supporting the load carrying deck and are a part of the main frame of the barge. Suitable transverse channel-shaped girders 6 are supported on the girders 5 to supportA the deck plates 7, and other transverse H-beam girders 8 are provided at spaced intervals to support the joints of the deck plates 7, which plates have their longitudinal axis extending transversely of the bargev and parallel with the longitudinal aXis of the beams 6 and 8.

The girders 6 and 8 are spaced at substantially equal intervals, and such intervals are so arranged that the center lines of the H- beam girders 8 will be spacedsubstantially a distance equal to the Width of the deck plates 7 so that the longitudinal edges of abutting deck plates "will meet at a point substantially in line with the longitudinal center line of the H-beam girders 8. The deck plates 7 When mount-ed transversely of the barge on the grders 6 and 8, as above described, Willv extend over substantially half the Width of the H-beam girders 8, so as to provide a substantial bearing for their longitudinal edges.

The deck plates are secured to the beams 6 and 8 by rivets 10 and l2, respectively, and

the H-beams 8 along the longitudinal edges of the plates 7, the edges may be drawn down to form a tight joint.

The butt joints formed by the deck plates 7 may be calked with any suitable material, as at 14, if desired.

In practice, sections of the deck equal to the Width of one plate may be riveted up in the shop or other convenient location and then mounted bodily in place on the barge, thus greatly facilitating the construction of the barge.

In barges of this type in which the load is carried on the deck, a hopper rim or Wall 16 is provided around the load carrying portion of the deck to retain the load on the deck.

A deck constructed Vas above is free from overlapped joints and, therefore, there are no projections to interfere with the use of a bucket or other unloading device. Also a deck in which the plates are joined by H- beams as above described, Will be materially stronger and less liable to spring than deck plates which have their longitudinal edges strapped together as has heretofore been the practice.

While I have shown and described one speciic embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that I do not Wish to be limited thereto, since various modilications may be made Without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the appended claim.

I claim- A barge comprising a hull having Water tight bulk heads at each end, said bulk heads having their top covered by deck plates having their edges overlapped to form Water proof joints, a longitudinally extending main girder and a plurality of other longitudinally extending girders on each side of said main girder, said girders extending between said bulk heads and forming part of the main frame of the barge and serving` to support the load carrying deck, a plurality of transversely extending one-piece rolled beams supported on said longitudinal beams and adapted to support the deck plates, some of said transverse beams being of H-beam design, deck plates arranged parallel With the longitudinal aXis of and supported on said transverse beams, said H-beams being spaced so that their longitudinal center lines are spaced a distance equal to the Width of said deck plates, a plurality of the other transverse beams between said H-beams, said deck plates being positioned so that their longitudinal edges butt each other at a point substantially in line With the longitudinal center lines of said transverse H-beams, so that each abutting plate overlaps substantially half the Width of an H-beam, and rivets passing through said plates .and said transverse beams and countersunk flush with the top face of said plates, to secure said plates in position.

In Witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JOI-IN L. TAYLOR. 

